Being completely awful may save us this season

[onje_villa]

I got to thinking yesterday that the defeat to Fulham may be more damaging than yesterday's dross. It's easy to call the Fulham game a battling defeat away from home but it was a really poor performance and I feel yesterday's display was so poor and has been universally accepted by all (apart from PL and the OS by the looks of it) that Lerner and Lambert may be forced to change plan and get in some more quality in January.

I was listening to WM on the way back yesterday and it struck me that Blues and Wolves have better players in midfield than we do.

At least after the Norwich game we can't bury our heads in the sand, we need to improve that midfield somehow and money will have to be spent there in January.

[danlanza]

Like you say, we all agree that our performances are not what we expected and i totally agree with the title of this thread.
Some quality midfield signings would change our team totally( transform our team).
Surely there will be some cash available in January. To blame Lambert for this mess is not fair, give the bloke some money and he will get the quality needed IMV.

[supertom]

I think Lambert will know we need a few more reliable older heads. It's not even just this season he's contending with, but he's got the torrid task of breaking us out of the piss poor form from last season when we couldn't buy a win. It's hard to turn things around with limited quality. I garauntee by the end of the season, Lamberts barnet will be slightly thinner and a lot whiter.

I do sense a desperation splurge in january, like when we got Bent. It'll be a case of measuring the cost of relegation against signing a couple of decent players. We're a much harder sell now though being 3 years on from a top 6 side, as opposed to just a year.

[onje_villa]

I think Lambert will know we need a few more reliable older heads. It's not even just this season he's contending with, but he's got the torrid task of breaking us out of the piss poor form from last season when we couldn't buy a win. It's hard to turn things around with limited quality. I garauntee by the end of the season, Lamberts barnet will be slightly thinner and a lot whiter.

I do sense a desperation splurge in january, like when we got Bent. It'll be a case of measuring the cost of relegation against signing a couple of decent players. We're a much harder sell now though being 3 years on from a top 6 side, as opposed to just a year.

That's true, our stock has definitely fallen massively, that's what's worrying, at least someone like Hansen saying we were dreadful shows that people still see us as reasonably big club but I worry that in a year or two, we're just going to be mediocre, anonymous at best and that's depressing.

This acceptance of mediocrity (actually worse than that) is more upsetting than the actual results. We need to start acting like a big club again.

[Apyadg]

This acceptance of mediocrity (actually worse than that) is more upsetting than the actual results. We need to start acting like a big club again.

I suspect we'll keep plodding on, mediocre at best, until someone with very very deep pockets fancies buying a club.

It turns out a Bright Future (tm) is a lot more expensive than you'd think.

[Witton Warrior]

While I agree with you that a good dose of reality may be needed I am fearful that we are now sliding so badly that it will simply have an increasingly negative psychological effect.

It is up to Lambert to set out our best team and motivate them to his best abilities. The Sunderland match will be a perfect test as they are such a dull team we may be able to have a go at them and raise spirits...

[brian green]

It will be a miracle if both sides finish with eleven men in that encounter.

[onje_villa]

Bloody shame Stan's no longer in our plans on the pitch, I think he kept us ticking over and we've not replaced him.

[nick harper]

Lambert does need to be honest about performances. It's almost like he is seeing a different game to everyone else. The last two performances have been utter garbage yet he gives the impression he thinks they are acceptable. I hope the players aren't getting that impression.

[ez]

Lambert does need to be honest about performances. It's almost like he is seeing a different game to everyone else. The last two performances have been utter garbage yet he gives the impression he thinks they are acceptable. I hope the players aren't getting that impression.

I do hope he doesn't start making vacuous comments like the previous manager, like saying we are unlucky when really we are outplayed

[Witton Warrior]

Bloody shame Stan's no longer in our plans on the pitch, I think he kept us ticking over and we've not replaced him.

One of our group said that yesterday and we all just stopped and shok our heads - Stan used to get regular negative comments about his play/contribution on this forum - we do miss an old head in midfield

[hawkeye]

Again this assumption that we might buy our way out of trouble in January. By the end of Jan there will be 14 games left,

[onje_villa]

I was always a fan of Stan (well apart from the long bedding-in period). The camp was often divided between him and NRC but for me he's just been a top pro for us.

Reads play well, and makes lots of interceptions, good on the ball and above all the man cares about the team, you can see that, he has drive and he was a very good captain.

[supertom]

What also concerns me is that when Lambert came aboard we all expected brighter things and perhaps from the off. In all honesty, I'd have expected mid-table at this point given the games we've had.
We thought we were on the up but a lot of the pundits still had us down as a decent outside bet for relegation. Seems those on the outside aren't remotely surprised at how we've started on the whole.
Bastards.